The Louis XV commode incarnates the rococo style of its period to perfection. Abundant ornamentation, asymmetrical lines, undulating curves: this small storage piece was more feminine in order to provide more comfort and intimacy. Nature figures prominently in the rococo aesthetic: foliage, natural stones, shells and rocks.
During the reign of Louis XV, the commode was characterised by gilt bronze motifs on the handles, feet and drops, moulded wood veneer, chinoiserie and oriental lacquer imported from the Far East, and later, by Vernis Martin lacquering that was easier and less cumbersome to work with than Chinese or Japanese lacquer. Its curved surface spotlights large marquetry panels. The Louis XV commode was produced in a variety of small storage pieces: encoignures, chiffonniers, semainiers...
